Heart To Heart
By Pastor Richard Wright
We are fast approaching the year 2002 and we’re still here on this earth. Soon
Jesus will be here to take us home with him.
Our eyes have been opened to the wickedness and sinfulness of this world. We realize that we are vulnerable to the attacks of Satan.
As we are about to enter 2002, I want to encourage all of our people to be diligent students of the Word of God. We need to study more now than ever before. We need to know what God’s word says and be able to give an account.
Ps. 119:11 says, “Thy word have I hid in my heart; that I might not sin against thee.” God’s word is our protection, our weapon against sin. The word of God needs to be a very part of our being. Colossians 3:16 tells us, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
God’s word gives us comfort, hope and courage while we live in a world that is in turmoil God’s word helps us to keep our focus on what is important in life. It helps to prepare us for our real home, the kingdom of heaven. The Word of God is powerful and strong, and it does not fail. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sward, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thought and intents of the heart.” We have nothing to fear for the future as long as we put our trust and faith in God and in His word.
Romans 15:4 tells us, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
I invite you to join with me in a deeper study of God’s word and in sincere heartfelt prayer for the year 2002. May it be a good year, a year that the Lord will come.
Are YOU Up For A Challenge?
Several years ago I challenged myself to memorize the hymns in the hymnal a
little at a time. It puzzled me why after so many years our noses were still
stuck in the seams of the hymnals for old favorites such as “The Old Rugged
Cross”. So that is where I started. There may come a time when hymnals will not
be readily available and a round of a familiar hymn will be most welcome. If
this is something you want to challenge yourself to do this coming year, you go
for it!
An Expression Of Graditude
Dear Church Family,
I can not thank you enough for your prayers since my sudden illness in October.
Your support with encouraging words have been so helpful to me. the generous
gift of money and food box has helped us so much during our time of need. I want
to THANK you for living for Jesus and revealing him to me through your kindness.
I look forward to the day when we will be in heaven with our blessed Savior. I
pray that each one of us will share your continued prayers and support, as some
of you know that at this point we still do not know what my physical outcome
will be. I can only believe that what lies ahead (not only for myself but for
each of us) has a reason that only God knows and that he will see us through.
Your Sister in Christ, Jeanne Grover
An Investment Worth Making
Dear Church Family,
I hope that each of you who are able will choose a Sabbath School Investment Project this year. It is really an exciting experience to be in partnership with god and see how He blesses your efforts to raise money for missions. Lets make this year a special one with His help.
I believe God wants to do great things for us and through us. I am working toward that in my life and hope and pray that each of you desire the same. When we pull together toward common goals, great things can and will happen. All we have to do is believe, work and pray. Success will come. True success is reaching the goals God has for us as individuals and as a group. He cannot fail and to having him as your partner, success is certain.
I’ll be giving you a progress report from time to time and if you have any questions or idea’s, please feel free to call me. You can reach me at 674-2490 or 674-2682. Please remember to turn in all your investment labels as every cent counts.
Have a good year,
Lorena Wilson, Woodstock SDA Investment Secretary
Note
Smart Goals Are...
1. Specific
2. Measurable
3. Achievable
4. Realistic
5. Timed
Who Am I?
(This years “Who Am I” will introduce you to a different church member each
month. Enjoy getting to know them)
I’d like to introduce you to Majorie Tardiff. Her husband Craig, and their 4 children Isaac, Baxter, Shaina & Ashley travel from Farmington, Maine to attend Woodstock church. She was born in Brooklyn, Massachusetts. She almost didn’t make it to the hospital before she entered the world, as she describes she was nearly born in the car. She has 2 brothers and 3 sisters. Her favorite childhood memory would be meeting her husband, Craig whom she met in ninth grade. She started dated Craig since age 14 and they have been together ever since. She’s now been married for 10 years. On their honey moon they hiked the complete Appalachian Trail, from Maine to Georgia. They did take 6 months and it was “a tremendous memory.” Her travels have taken her to 32 of the US states, and also to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, Canada. Her official occupation is a mother and wife which involves being a school teacher, cook, house cleaner, you name it. Her hobbies are baking, art and raising kids. She like making all kinds of breads and if there were a favorite food of hers it would be homemade bread of any kind When asked about her favorite book in the Bible, she could not choose. “I like them all”, she said. I hope you get to meet Marjorie, her husband and their children. They are a wonderful family!
Verse
So let us come near to God with a sincere heart and a sure faith. We
have been cleansed and made free from feelings of guilt. And our bodies have
been washed with pure water. Let us hold firmly to the hope that we have
confessed. We can trust God to do what he promised. Hebrews 10: 22-23
Pillars Of Faith
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1 (Each month a new Pillar of Faith from the 11th Chapter in
Hebrew will be written about)
ABEL
(Hebrews 11:4) Abel was the second child born into the world, but the first one
to obey God. All we know about this man is that his parents were Adam and Eve,
he was a shepherd, he presented pleasing sacrifices to God, and his short life
was ended at the hands of his jealous older brother, Cain.
The Bible doesn’t tell us why God liked Abel’s gift and disliked Cain's but both Cain and Abel knew what God expected. Only Abel obeyed. Throughout history Abel is remembered for his obedience and faith (Hebrews 11:4) and he is called “righteous” (Matthew 23:35)
Strengths and accomplishments
1. First member of the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11
2. First shepherd
3. First martyr for truth
Abel’s story is told in Genesis 4:1-8. He is also mentioned in Matthew 23:35, Luke 11:51; Hebrews 11:4 and 12:24
Note
‘Miracle In The Manger”
Presented by Woodstock SDA school kids
December 14-15, 2001
Pictures Of The Cantata May Be Seen Here
In My Humble Opinion
By Lamplighter Editor - Christie Hodson
I remember as a young child I heard the expression that “tomorrow never comes”.
In the concrete thoughts of my childhood I couldn’t understand the phrase. What
do you mean “tomorrow never comes”? As I’ve grown into the more abstract
thinking of life I understand the untouchables of “tomorrow”. It’s often at the
beginning of a new year that we look not only toward tomorrow but also in the
past. The past, though we often vow new resolutions to change it, has already
come and gone. It’s now a memory either good, bad or indifferent. It has already
become a part of us, shaped us. We often make resolutions in January but find as
the days pass that we find ourselves breaking them almost before they’re made.
We choose rather to continue doing what has become most comfortable or habitual.
Why is that? Does change scare us? Is the future too unknown in our minds to
invest in? Are we in our “saturated with sinful nature humanity” simply unable
to forge ahead, making new waves, undertaking the unseen, the unknown, the hoped
for? Have we simply just talked ourselves into not making the change. I
personally feel there’s an uncharted territory that few enter, yet all can. An
area of faith, of trust, of vulnerability to the ultimate authority of God. A
place perhaps so “uncomfortable to be in our sinful humanity” that we have
convinced ourselves we cannot be at that point in life. In coming to that
conclusion we are possibly missing out on becoming a crusader for Christ.
Something holds us back. Each path or journey though it may seem different,
ultimately is the same. Human nature holds us back. It takes something beyond or
outside of ourselves to forge ahead in faith. The road ahead is not always
clear, not always smooth, not always easily defined. Many times while traveling
down that road we’ll want to turn back, take an alternate route, give up, but we
mustn’t. It IS the “road less traveled by”. There’s even a spot where Christ has
asked us to leave our heavy loads, called the cross. When the Israelites left
Egypt choosing to follow Moses into the unknown desert, they must have felt some
anxiety, both positive and negative. Life was tough in Egypt but they knew what
was expected of them, what they were supposed to do, where they were supposed to
go. Heading off into an unknown wilderness perhaps frightened them more so.
Going through the deserts of faith will never be easy, but the rewards of growth
and understanding make it worthwhile. When I first moved to the east I “painted
pictures of Idaho”. I missed/miss what I knew, what was comfortable, what was
familiar. Christ in His unique way has placed me in Maine and I have a choice is
to be bitter or better from it. I have learned so much in the last 6 years and
I’m thankful, (though sometimes I wasn’t) that I’m here. Becoming a true
crusader for Christ passes through such uncomfortable, unknown terrain. May we
forge off into such an unknown wilderness. May we not let the wishy-washiness of
our indecision keep us from claiming the ultimate prize, eternal life and a home
with our Saviour in an atmosphere of agape love. We should consider it “worth
the risk”!!!
The following song by Sara Groves speaks of the Israelites and their journey into the wilderness. We wonder why they might have wanted to “Paint Pictures of Egypt” while going through the wilderness, wandering in the way they did for so long. They must have wondered whether their decision to come was all worth it. For those that did, there was a prize of a promised land and a new life. Those that went truly discovered the reality of what having true faith meant to God. May we find that same faith in OUR journey.
Painting Pictures of Egypt
By Sara Groves
I don’t want to leave here
I don’t want to stay
It feels like pinching to me either way
The places I long for the most
Are the places where I’ve been
They are calling after me like a long lost friend
It’s not about losing faith
It’s not about trust
It’s all about comfortable
When you move so much
The place I was wasn’t perfect
But I had found a way to live
It wasn’t milk or honey
But then neither is this
Chorus:
I’ve been painting pictures of Egypt
Leaving out what it lacked
The future seems so hard
And I want to go back
But the places that used to fit me
Cannot hold the things I've learned
And those roads closed off to me
While my back was turned
The past is so tangible
I know it by heart
Familiar things are never easy to discard
I was dying for some freedom
But now I hesitate to go
Caught between the promise
And the things I know
If it comes too quick
I may not recognize it
Is that the reason behind all this time and sand?
If it comes too quick
I may not appreciate it
Is that the reason behind all this time and sand?
Note
We’re on the web
www.woodstockchurch.com
Ever Heard of Chuza?
Chuza, was the manager of Herod’s household. He is introduced into the narrative
of Luke (8:3) because he was the husband of Joanna, one of the women who were
helping to support Jesus and his twelve disciples “out of their own means”. She
may have had independent finances or her husband may have been sympathetic, but
the mention of Chuza may partly be in order to emphasize that these were women
from wealthy households. Certainly it is a common fiction these days that only
the poor were attracted by Jesus’ ministry. In some editions of the NIV this
person is called Cuza.
How To Put A Wow In Every Tomorrow
Develop An Attitude Of Gratitude
Encourage Others
Give Sincere Compliments
Keep Growing
Give The Gift Of Forgiveness
Take Care Of Yourself
Do Random Acts Of Kindness
Treasure Relationships
Share Your Faith
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